The scandal was one of the biggest NFL stories in recent years. It drew a $500,000 for coach Bill Belichick and a $250,000 against the Patriots franchise. Commissioner Roger Goodell also forced the Patriots to yield early-round draft picks as punishment.

Still, Hamilton did pay Belichick a compliment, saying, "It's truly an honor to have an opportunity to field a team and compete against the likes of Coach Belichick who will go down as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Football League."